Conditions associated with diving exposure and their impact on the physiology of the respiratory system and possibly resulting adverse clinical consequences
| Pathophysiological changes | Possible adverse clinical effects | |
| Elevated pressure | ||
| Oxygen | Hyperoxia | Oxidative stress Airway inflammation |
| Nitrogen | Venous gas microbubbles | Impaired diffusion capacity Pulmonary hypertension |
| Immersion | Central blood pooling Reduced lung compliance Increased work of breathing | Dyspnoea |
| Scuba | ||
| Breathing gas | Dry and cold gas Increased density of gas Increased airway resistance | Respiratory heat loss Airway inflammation Airway narrowing Dyspnoea |
| Pressure regulator | Increased work of breathing | Dyspnoea Aggravation of airway drying and cooling when bypassing nasal airways# |
| Exertion | Increased work of breathing | Dyspnoea Carbon dioxide retention Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction Capillary stress failure Pulmonary oedema |
| Water | Increased heat conduction and convection Increased respiratory heat loss | Cold stress Hypothermia Hypopnoea Apnoea |
#: when diving using a mask and breathing through a regulator.